Most of us understand that change is a constant. But that doesn’t take away the uncertainty that follows.
A change in leadership, for example, can have seismic effects on an organization. Even when this transition is ultimately a promising sign of good things to come, it can still result in questions about the future.
To address these concerns, the best things companies can do following such a major change is connect with their employees, calm any anxiety they may be experiencing and offer clarification on what’s coming next. In short, combat uncertainty with information.
That’s precisely what Ron Feldman plans to do after being named Managed by Q’s CEO following the company’s recent acquisition by The We Company.
“My first goals are all about getting to know new team members and figuring out where I can be helpful in clarifying ambiguity, building alignment and enabling us all to lead our teams toward our mission,” Ron says. “It’s still early, but I’ve been enjoying the first few weeks.”
We sat down with Ron to get his thoughts on the future of Managed by Q and his plans for his new role.
FOUNDED: 2014
EMPLOYEES: 180, 160 local
WHAT THEY DO: Managed by Q builds tools for workplace teams. By organizing their work in a single place, workplace teams are able to be more productive and create a better office experience for their employees.
WHERE THEY DO IT: New York City
LIFELONG LEARNING: To ensure that team members are always learning and get a chance to show off their own expertise, Managed by Q hosts the Q Academy, an internal training program where team members teach each other.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY: Managed by Q employs a culture where team members are supported when they share their thoughts and opinions to make improvements.
Ron Feldman, CEO
As the new CEO of Managed by Q, Ron is responsible for setting the vision and mission, recruiting and leading a best-in-class leadership team and working with key stakeholders across all business functions.
TAKING TEN TO HANG TEN: While he’s gotten a bit busier as of late, Ron’s been known to hit the beach with his surfboard to escape for a while. He admits he’s still got a lot to learn, but he enjoys the lessons he gains from trying to find the perfect wave.
You originally joined Managed by Q less than a year ago as VP of Product. You’ve since stepped into a new role as CEO. First of all, congratulations! Secondly, can you speak to how that transition came about?
After the acquisition by WeWork, our founder and CEO, Dan Teran, took on a broader leadership role at WeWork. Over time it became clear to him that he didn’t have enough time to also continue to be CEO at Managed by Q. He asked me if I would consider the role. I was honored, and we agreed on a process to make the transition.
The reason companies succeed is because of their people, and people are more than just job functions.”
In general, what plans do you have for the company going forward?
We are continuing to build more products and features for workplace teams. We plan to offer a set of tools that enable an office manager to run their day and serve as their central source of truth for the office. If we’re successful in building and distributing these tools, we will have an impact on workplace teams all over the U.S. and globally, and eventually change the perception of the workplace team and help make their careers better and more fulfilling. In the process, we will be helping transform offices to help companies create more value through their most important resource — their employees.
How would you describe your leadership and management styles? How do you typically interact with other members of the team?
I believe in giving leaders on my team the space and autonomy to lead their teams and functions without micromanaging them. I try to ask challenging questions to give them ideas about how to think about problems and growth. I strive for absolute trust and candid communication, I clarify their roles and responsibilities, and I am open about how they’re performing. Most importantly, I care about people as human beings first. The reason companies succeed is because of their people, and people are more than just job functions.
What aspects of Managed by Q’s culture stand out to you the most? How do you plan to maintain those, while adding new features, as time goes on?
I think our employees are empowered to make a lot of significant and impactful decisions and are assumed to have the perspective of a founder in deciding what is best. They are stewards of our resources and are courageous in creating new products and processes. They are also fiercely proud of our mission.
Managed by Q is a remarkably transparent company. We aim to share almost all information as quickly and widely as possible. This also relates to the second important aspect of our culture, which is that people are truly motivated to do the right thing for our customers and not for political or personal gain. Everyone is excited to work together to build and distribute products that create value.
Everyone is excited to work together to build and distribute products that create value.”
Do you expect to hire more people in the future?
We are always looking to hire great folks on both the product development (engineering, design and product) and distribution (marketing, sales and customer success) sides of the business. As we grow, we will need more great people in every role.
